This Howto explains how to prepare XMM data for further analysis. It expects that Jörn's XMM scripts are setup in the correct way and that the XMM SAS is available. The best way to ensure this is to put the following lines into your ~/.cshrc-file:

if ( -e /home/astro/phsdak/.cshrc.local ) then
     source /home/astro/phsdak/.cshrc.local 
endif 

After this log out and then log in again. You will now have the XMM SAS, and further useful astrophysical software available. Talk to Jörn if the above is not what you want but if you want to only setup the SAS.

Secondly, the following is not an explanation of what is done in detail, it just tells you how to operate the scripts. In order to understand what is going on, you have to read the documentation, and here especially the HEASARC ABC guide and the SAS User's guide (in that order). To learn more about XMM, browse around at xmm.vilspa.esa.es.

Finally: Most of the procedures outlined in the above manuals are encapsulated in the XMM scripts that are described below. These scripts help you to quickly get standard results. They are rather flexible (all scripts have a help page, which you get with the --help option) and you should use them for all of your work, but this does not mean that you should not understand what is going on in detail, since the scripts are not infallible. If you find that you have problems, tell Jörn what the problems are such that the scripts can get fixed. That way others can profit from your experiences.